Walking Tall
by babyphd
Summary: Jed experiences a medical crisis the night after Leo’s funeral. Post EP: Requiem
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

'Three am. Will he ever stop and get some rest?'

Abbey lay still, listening to Jed's sobs. She knew that his grief was overpowering. Up to now he could believe that this was not real. That Leo was just on a trip somewhere. But today was the funeral and the burial.

She had watched him stoically get through the past three days. 'Had to be strong for others' was his excuse.

Well, it had finally caught up with him and he had slept only intermittently since the gathering last night. Sleep broken by crying jags.

She didn't move. Any movement on her part and he would be alerted that she was not asleep either. But eventually it had to stop. It just had to. Leo wouldn't want any of his friends to grieve. He would say "Get on with it kid. Move on."

'Well, Leo, this time it ain't so easy.'

She felt the bed move as Jed got out of bed. This had been the pattern all night. A short rest, then sobs, then he would get up and wander for a few minutes before attempting to go back to sleep.

But this time she didn't hear the switch in the bathroom. This time she heard a quiet thud.

With her heart in her throat, Abbey opened her eyes and saw the scene she had been dreading ever since Jed had been told of Leo's sudden death.

"Jed!" were the first words escaping from her lips when she saw him in a pile of limbs on the floor. "Are you okay?"

Jed looked up at her with red rimmed eyes. "No. I can't feel my legs."

Throwing off the covers, Abbey bent down by her husband. "What other symptoms do you have?"

The worst possible nightmare had come true.

The stress of losing Leo had brought on a relapse.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Oh God, Abbey, I don't need this right now." Jed leaned his head back against the headboard. Two agents had picked him up off the floor and placed him back in bed. Abbey had called for the on-call physician from the Medical Office and he was due here any minute.

"Shhh. We'll deal with it Jed. It'll be okay." Her warm hand stroked Jed's forehead, trying to get him calmed down. "You've been under tremendous stress these past few days. Have you taken your betaseron?"

"I don't remember. It's been so hectic I don't remember the last time I gave it to myself."

"Well, let's don't jump to a conclusion quite yet. It could be a number of things."

Abbey looked in her husband's eyes, knowing he could see the lie in eyes.

"Abbey, don't lie to me. Not now. We both know what it is."

"All I'm saying is that it 'could' be something else."

Jed closed his eyes. "No, we know what 'this' is."

Knock!

Abbey got up from the bed and opened the door. "Ron, we have a little problem."

"Yes, ma'am. That's why I'm here. What can I do?"

Looking back at Jed, Abbey lowered her voice. "Call CJ and ask her to come in. Then find Curtis. We'll need him sometime today I'm sure."

"Yes ma'am. I'll make sure those people are notified. I'll be here when you need something."

"Thanks, Ron."

"Yes, ma'am."

"What's the problem, Mrs. Bartlet?" A different voice asked the question.

"Oh hi. I didn't see you come up. My husband has been under tremendous stress over the past week and tonight, as he attempted to get out of bed, his legs gave out on him and he collapsed on the floor."

"Yes, ma'am."

Abbey stood aside while Dr. Hasbert entered. She watched him go over to the bed and start talking with Jed. Sighing, she closed the door and walked over to see what Jed was saying.

"Mr. President, I brought the records with me. You're overdue for your next dose of betaseron. It's been over a week since you had your last one."

"A WEEK! Jed, how could you? How could you forget such a thing?"

Bowing his head, Jed replied, "Abbey, it's been crazy. With the election and everything and then Leo," his voice caught on the words but he soon continued, "with Leo gone I just forgot."

"God Jed, how could you?" Abbey didn't know how to feel. Angry at him for forgetting something so essential to his life or pity for the emotional trauma this past month has brought.

"I'm sorry Abbey. But I'm the one paying for it now. Not you."

"NOT ME! How could you say something like that? I'm here Jed. I've been here. I suffer when you get sick. I'm paying for it as well."

Dr. Hasbert moved silently away from the bed. He wanted to leave but felt the distraction of the door would interrupt the First Couple's heated discussion. They had forgotten another person was present. Overwhelming fatigue and their drained emotional state continued to feed the flames of the argument.

"JED! Answer me. You know I'm paying for it as well."

"Hell, Abbey! What do you want me to do? Get down on my KNEES and apologize? I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry." His voice cracked as the tears started again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Her reply stopped in her throat. Here was her husband, suffering through the sudden loss of his best friend, watching his political life slowly ebb away and he was apologizing? She realized that this was all wrong.

Abbey crossed the distance between them and sat down beside him. "No, Jed. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. We both know the amount of stress you've been under and we should have expected something like this. I'm so sorry." She leaned over and pulled his face closer. "I'm so sorry." She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "I'm here for you babe. All the time."

Abbey then realized that Dr. Hasbert was still there. "Sorry Doctor. What do you think?"

Jed looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Tell us this isn't what I think it is."

"Sir, I don't know for sure. I need to do a more thorough exam and an MRI. I need for you to go to Bethesda for them. Some of the tests are quite sophisticated and they have to be done there."

"Can you give me your professional opinion? Just tell me." Jed was pleading with the doctor to have good news. He needed it very badly. He looked at Abbey and then looked back at the doctor.

"Sir, I don't want to guess until I get some more information. I need you at Bethesda."

"Jed," Abbey looked at him, trying to stop the expected negative answer. The fight that normally would ensue. So the answer he gave surprised both of them.

"Yes, I'll go. Just make the arrangements."

Abbey's heart broke. Jed had finally been defeated. For eight long years, through crises that would make lesser men bend, Jed had slugged his way through them. But finally, he had given up.

And she had to do everything to bring him back. She refused to be defeated. She would bring him back. Without Leo here for help, the task fell to her. But she was up to it. It was on her shoulders now.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Are you staying with me? You know about my claustrophobia." Abbey shuddered at Jed's fragile emotional state. This was so unlike him. Normally, he would be joking or pleading to go home. Telling her there was no need for all this fuss. But instead, he was pleading for her to stay.

Putting her hands on his arms, she looked down at him. "You've already been given some medicine to calm you down. You'll be fine. You need the sleep anyway. Just relax and it'll be over before you know it. I'll be by the microphone if you need to talk with me."

Leaning down closer to him, she kissed him gently on the lips. "I love you, Jed. Whatever is wrong, we'll face it together."

Jed nodded and shut his eyes. "Okay, let's get this started." The technician slid the President into the MRI as Jed placed his arms by his side and sighed with resignation.

A tear forced itself out of Abbey's left eye as she turned and left the room and entered the office behind. This was not Jed. This was not the man who had fought to achieve every goal he had obtained. Who fought for what he believed in, no matter what the personal cost to him.

Here was a man who had been defeated by life. Defeated by circumstances that he couldn't control.

Abbey sat down and tried to focus on what was occurring in front of her. But her heart was breaking. She remembered the utter look of hopelessness on his face when he left the Residence. By this time, Zoey and Ellie were awake and wondering why the Residence was so full of activity at 4:30 am. To their dismay, it was all focused on their father.

CJ arrived just as the President was being lifted into the ambulance for the trip to Bethesda. Abbey noticed she wore the same clothes that she had on last night but didn't question why. That was her personal business. Besides, with the administration in its last few months, who cared? She certainly had bigger worries to deal with.

"Mrs. Bartlet? We're finished."

Abbey was brought back to the current reality. "Oh, thanks. When will you have some results?" as she looked through the window and saw the aides lift the sleeping President onto a stretcher.

"We should have something for Dr. Benson in the next hour. He'll meet you upstairs. The President is being taken to his suite so he can sleep the sedation off."

"Thanks. I'll be waiting with the President."

"Yes, ma'am."

Abbey turned and exited the office, following the stretcher upstairs.

In an hour they would know. In an hour they would have an answer.

No matter what the answer was, she would have to be strong. She would have to take Leo's place and make sure that Jed made it through this time.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jed was lifted off the stretcher and placed on the bed.

Abbey stepped forward and pulled the covers around him. She was grateful he was finally sleeping. And without tears. He would need his strength for what lay ahead.

Stroking his hair back, Abbey took Jed's hand in hers. "You'll do fine. No matter what we'll face this together." She leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I love you Jed."

She crawled up in the bed, snuggling next to her sleeping husband. 'To hell with hospital rules' were her last thoughts as she quickly fell asleep herself.

Time passed while the First Couple finally slept, undisturbed by tears and fears.

Knock!

Abbey woke, realizing that someone was entering the room. Dr. Hasbert walked in accompanied by the neurologist.

Quickly standing back on the floor, she shook Jed's shoulders, rousing him out of his slumber. "Hon, the doctors are here with the results of your tests."

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw the two doctors come over to the edge of the bed. He then realized that Abbey was holding his hand as she gave him a quick squeeze.

Trying to gather strength for the anticipated diagnosis, he asked, "What did you find?"

"Mr. President, this is Dr. Benson, he's head of Neurology here and I asked him to join me on the case."

"Yes, how are you Dr. Benson? What did you find?"

Abbey squeezed Jed's hand one more time.

"Sir, I think we have isolated the problem. It's not a relapse of your Multiple Sclerosis as feared. The MRI was negative for any additional plaques so I am confident to say your collapse earlier is not MS related."

"Oh thank God!" The words escaped from Abbey's mouth without thinking.

Abbey turned to see Jed's reaction and was almost blinded by his smile. "Abbey, it's not, it not…."

"No Jed. It's not." Neither could say the 'word' that they both feared the most. But now they wouldn't have to. Not yet anyway.

Abbey squeezed Jed's hand one more time. "Then what is it?"

"A pinched nerve in your back is what we believe is causing the problem."

"A pinched nerve? That's all?" Abbey's was incredulous. "But, I mean he couldn't feel his legs."

"Yes, ma'am. It is a severe pinched nerve but with bed rest and appropriate physical therapy the President should be able to resume his normal activities in a few weeks."

"But why wasn't he in pain? A pinched nerve usually creates a lot of pain."

"Yes, ma'am. Usually it does. But with the stress the President has had over this past few weeks, his adrenaline blocked the pain. And apparently it didn't get critical until last night."

Turning back to Jed, she leaned down and planted a kiss on his lips.

Tears, pent up for so long began to flow down her face. He would be okay. In time, he would get strong again. She would see to that. They could leave Washington in one piece. He could return to Manchester the same way he left eight long years ago.

Walking tall.

Walking proud.

But most importantly, walking.

THE END


End file.
